Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-01-22

| ices. Wnen D9u spirits came uDOu
him to destroy him, fought them
ba-k with infinite ferceness; anG vet
have TO testify to-day that he has reseetcd
my mission. He has not done as he ought ia
have done. Though came from the sky he
drove mo back. Though with this wing
defended him and though with this voice
wooed him. have to announce his multi !.
piled imperfections dare rot keep back
the testimony, for then l should not dare to
appear again among the sinless ones before
the great white throne"
There is only one more witness to be called
on behalf of the prosecution and that is the
great, the holy, the august. the omnipotent
Spirit Of God. We bow down before him.
Holy Spirit, lznowest thou this MANI "Oh.
yes" says the Holy One, 81 know him. l
have striven with him ten thousand tim s
and though sometimes he did seem to roper t,
he fell back again as often from his first cs-
tate. Ten thousand times ten thousand b ~
be grievel me. although the Bible warn'd
him, saying: 'Grieve not the Holy Ghost
Ouench not the Spirit Yes. he ha,
lriven me back. Though am the
Third Person of ths Trinity, he has
trampled on nv mission, and the blood OF
the atonement that brought with which to
cleanse his soul, he sometimes despised. l
eame from the throne of God to convert, and
comfort and sanctity. and vet look at that
! nan AMI see what he is comrared with what
/ unrest ted. would have made him."
] Theeviden'. on tho part of the p70Seci.
/ zion has closed, Now let the de'epce br ing
on the rebuttal testimony. What have you,
o Christian soul, to bring in reply to this evil
dence of the world, Of the conscience, Of
the angel and of the Holy Ghostl No evil
dence' Are all these things truel eyes.
Tn lean. unclean," says every Christian
soul. WHAT Do you not begin to tremble
at the thought OF condemnation
Mo ha m fho Ir1nsk n oroefine
part of this great trial. The evidence all in,
the advocates speak The profession of an
advocate is full of responsibility. In Eng
land and the United States there have arisen
men Who in this calling have been honored by
their race and thrown contempt upon those
who in the profession have been guilty of a
great many WEAKNESSES. That profession
will be honorable as long as it has attached
| to it such names as Mansfield and MarShn H.
and Story, and Kent and Southland. and
William Writ. The courtroom has some
times been the scene of very marvellous aad
thrilling things. Some of you remember the
famous Girard will case. whore one OF our
advocates plea led the cause of the Bible and
! Christianity in mastery Anglo Saxon, every
paragraph a thunderbolt.
Some of you have read of the famous trial
in Westminster Hall, of Warren Hastings.
| the despoiler of India. That great man had
conquered India by splendid talents, by
/ courage, Dy DGlDoS, ny BiSduOlC utouOhoSeJ.
! The whole world had rung with applause or
condemnation. Gathered in Westminster
Hall, a place in which thirty Kings had been
| inaugurated, was one of the most ia nous
audiences ever gathered. Foreign Ministers
and Princes sat there Ieers marched in
clad in ermine and gold. Mighty men and
women from all lands looked down upon the
scene. Amid all that pomp and splendor,
and amid an excitement such as has
seldom been seen in any court
room, Edmund Burke advanced in a
speech which will last as long as the English
language. concluding with this burning
charge which made Warren Hastings cringe
! and cover: II impeach him in the name Of
the Commons House of Parliament, whose
trust b has betrayed impeach hun in the
name of the English nation, whose ancient
honor he has sulied. imp-ach him in the
name of the people of India, whose rights he
has trampled on, and whose country he has
| turned into q desert. And, lastly, in the
name of human nature. in the name of both
sexes in the name of every age and rank. l
inpeach him as the common enemy aud op'
pessor of all"
Rut turn from the recital of those mem
ableoccasions to grander trial and have
to tell you that in this trial of the Christian
for the life of his soul the advocates are
mightier, wiser and more eloquent. The evil
| dence all being in, Justice rises in behalf OF
the prosecution to make his plea. With the
! Bible open in his hand, he reads the law.
stern and infexible, and the penalty: "The
soul that sinneth, it shall die" Then be
says: 90 thou Judge and Lawgiver, this is
Thine own statute and all the evidence in
earth and heaven agrees in stating that this
man has sinned against all these enactments.
Now let the sword leap from its scabbard.
Shall man 60 through the very flames of
Sinai unsngeil Let the law be executed.
/ Let judgment be pronounced. Let him die.
demand that he die"
y Christian, does it not look very dark for
thee? Who will plead on thy side in so for
4 lorn a cause? Sometimes a man will be
brought into a court of law and be will have
/ no friends and no money and the judge will
look over the bar and say: SIS there any
one who will volunteer to take this mans
case and defend him!" and some young man
rises up and says; 81 will be his COUNSEL
perhaps starting on from that very
Now, in this matter of the soul,
as you have nothing to pay for counsel, do
you think that any one will volunteer. Yes,
yes; see One rising. He is a young man,
! only tbirty-three years of age. ! see His
countenance slffused with tears and covered
with blood. and all the galleries of heaven
are thrilled With the spectacle. Thanks be
unto God, 1--WE have an advocate with the
Father Jesus Christ the righteous"
Y Christian soul, your case begins to look
better. l think perhaps after all you may
not have to die. The best advocate in all the
univ erse has taken your side No one was
ever SO qualified to defend man as this ad.
vocate is qualified to defend you. He knows
all the law, all its demands, all it's penalties.
He is always ready. No new turn of the case
can surprise Him. and He VIII plead
for you for nothing as earnestly as
though you brought a world of treasures
to His feet. Besides that, He has
undertaken the care OF thousands who were
as forlorn as you, aud be has never lost a case.
Courage o christian soul. / tank that after
all there may be some chance for you, for the
great Advocate rises to make his plea, be
says: II admit all that has been proved
| against my client. l admit all these sins, ave,
| more; but look at that wounded hand OF
/ mine, and look at that other wounded hand
and at my right foot and at my left foot By
all these wounds plead for his clearance.
Count all the drors of my tears Count
oil the drops of my blood. by the humilia-
ton OF Bethlehem. by the sweat of Geth-
semane, by the suireriugs of the cross de-
mand that he go free. On this arm, be hath
leaned; to this heart he hath flown; in nv
tears he hath washed; on my Righteousness h.
nath depended. Let hin go free. / am the
ransom. Let him esca the lash, took the
scourg ngs- Let the cup pass from him, /
drank it to the dregs. Put on him the crown
o. life, FOR have worn the crown of thorus,
Uver against my cross of shame set biz